"Sorry. Trees, not stones for me. At best, I can encourage some redwoods to grow around there. Not the best defence, but best you're likely to get."

He glanced around at some of the trees, and began asking them to drop some seeds for him to grab.

"Try and weave them together...or make them grow into a solid wall of living wood, if you can." Hakar looked towards the fortress as he spoke.

"My speciality is the same as Alec's," Sarin noted, "and are you aware how much work it takes to get a tree to grow even an inch, much less weave patterns while using your element? Never mind, I think you're clueless." He looks at Alec. "Well, together, we might do it. Are you ready to even try it?"

"Quite possibly I am, and quite possibly you're an arrogant little prick of an elf." Hakar responded calmly, "Either way, just try it!"

Ashtar nodded. "Good. Make sure that she is, I want her ready for transport before the Rikklain Operation gets underway. At that point you will personally see to it that she is safely transported to Antarrak. I really wish I could watch your Work Jaral, I do enjoy it so; but I have a King to manipulate, and Empire to run, and no less than Two Nations to obliterate."

He gave a cruel smile underneath his mask. "Continue at your own leisure, but keep in mind our timeline."

With that he turned and left the chamber.

OOC: about my last post...Barbarians tend to be rather blunt.

IC: Jaral smirked, heading back to his chambers to train and meditate. He had belonged to a guild in the city, learning from the grandmaster ninja...a tiny old man of incredible power and unassuming appearance. After he had finished his training, Jaral had continued performing jobs for the guild...but his loyalties, as always, were to himself.

His chambers had black-pained walls and no windows, lit only by the light of a single candle. They were large, spacious, a training hall with only a cot in the corner to sleep on. Spikes on the walls were used for climbing drills while a variety of weapons were hung in a side-room. Another side-room contained what looked like an alchemist's lab, where Jaral could brew the potions and poisons used by members of his trade.

He did want to continue torturing Kiiri....but knew that waiting was the most prudent course, as well as making the experience all the more enjoyable when the time came. In the meantime, he would prepare.

Antarrak turned from his makeshift desk, where he was sharpening his katar, an orc sword with one serrated edge and a normal edge. An orc captain emerged into the room. "Sir, the men want fight. They want blood. When we attack?"

Antarrak sighed. He'd long grown used to the inferior vocabulary of the other Orcs, but their impatience was almost unbearable. "Soon, my young captain. Bastion is at hand." His katar was in his hand, yet the captain failed to notice. "I tire of your impertinence." he muttered as he drove the katar into his captain's belly. The razor sharp sword pierced the armor like rice paper, and the katar twisted inside the captain, killing him.

Antarrak shoved the body away and pulled free his katar, holding the blade to his tongue and licking blood from it's surface. Two guards dragged the body away, not even shrugging at it. This happened regularly.

The colossal orc clanked over to the desk and his eye glowed. He saw a faded image of Talos and the other Elementalists on their way to Bastion. He smiled, pausing to pick up his gem. "They are coming, Ashtar. The Elementalists are coming to Bastion."

"Well," Sarin said quietly, "if you wish to be that way about it, you can fix the wall yourself. Oh, wait, you can't," Sarin snarled, "so I'd suggest you'd be quiet about it. This whole foolish idea wasn't anywhere near my idea as it is now anyway."

Alec looked around nervously. "I shouldn't speak anymore."

He sighed, and then glanced at Sarin. "We may as well try."

He collected seeds and scattered them in front of the hole, then glumly said, "I hate being confined to bed."

Calmly, he walked over to Sarin and held out his hand.

"Which of us insulted the other first?" Hakar snarled back. He knew that he was losing his temper...but for once, he didn't care, "Either do it, and stop this inane bickering, or continue arguing and let innocent people DIE because of your arrogant childishness!" Hakar's eyes flashed, and he drew himself up to his full height, looking Sarin in the eye, utterly calm once more.